System and method for constructing optical devices using fold-up portions extended from a substrate

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment, the transmitters and detectors for an integrated optical touch panel (OTP) are mounted at right angles to the surface of the OTP. The transmitters and detectors are contained on a substrate which is an extension of the substrate containing the touch panel display itself. The sides of the substrate containing the transmitters and detectors are folded upward so that the transmitters and detectors are positioned above the plane of the substrate containing the display.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Portable personal devices, such as mobile telephone handsets and PDAs etc., are becoming smaller. These devices typically use integrated optical touch panels (OTP) functioning with icons and virtual keypads thereby saving space by eliminating the mechanical keypad.

The transceivers of conventional OTPs are made-up of transmitters (typically Light Emitting Diodes or Laser Diodes) and detectors (typically Photo Diodes or PIN Diodes) operating in conjunction with a display device (typically a liquid crystal display (LCD)). Since the signals (light, etc.) from the transmitters to the detectors must pass above the surface of the display, the transceiver elements (transmitters and detectors) are mounted above the plane of the display. This, then, requires the transceiver elements to be mounted on risers that are at right angles to the plane of the display. Presently, manufacturing processes require separately constructed risers that are then attached to the sides of the display. This construction is costly, from both the material and building time standpoints. Also alignment of the transmitters with the detectors and with the display surface presents problems.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, the transmitters and detectors for an integrated optical touch panel (OTP) are mounted at right angles to the surface of the OTP. The transmitters and detectors are contained on a substrate which is an extension of the substrate containing the touch panel display itself. The sides of the substrate containing the transmitters and detectors are folded upward so that the transmitters and detectors are positioned above the plane of the substrate containing the display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of an optical touch panel employing the concepts of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the sides of the optical touch panel of FIG. 1 fully folded upward;

FIG. 3 shows a cut-away side view of the optical touch panel of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 shows an optical touch panel being used in an electronic device; and

FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of a prior art optical touch panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an optical touch panel (OTP) 10 employing the concepts of the invention. Sides 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, and 12-4 are shown as they are initially constructed prior to being folded upward around display 31. Display 31, which can be a LCD or any other display type, is shown exploded upward so as to expose optional stiffener 17 and controller 18. Display 31 has thereon a plurality of logos, or keys, or text (soft buttons), and during operation the user's finger (or a stylus) would select the desired pattern and “press” on the display. The finger would then interrupt two light beams (13, 14) thereby yielding the position of the touch. Stiffener 17 is used as an aide to bending sides 12-1 through 12-4 which are bent along broken line 101. Mounted on sides 12-3 and 12-4 are light sources, such as LEDs 13, while mounted on opposing sides 12-1 and 12-2, respectively, are optical detectors, such as photo detectors 14. Mounted beneath bottom surface 102 of device 10 can be, for example, controller 18 which controls display 31 and/or the LCDs and detectors. This controller could connect to display 31 via cable 21, shown in FIG. 2, that extends through slot 16, if desired.

FIG. 2 shows sides 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, and 12-4 folded completely up around LCD 31. Optical signals from a LED mounted or side wall 12-3 impacts a detector mounted on opposite side wall 12-1 while optical signals from a LED on side wall 12-4 impacts detectors on side wall 12-2. These optical signals travel above the surface of Led 31 and when broken (by a finger or stylus) serve to determine the position of a touch as is well-known.

Sides 12-1 to 12-4 upon which the transmitters and detectors are mounted can be aligned by the original artwork patterning of substrate 102 to achieve accurate transceiving. The vertical position can be maintained by sandwiching between internal walls of the casing (shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B) and LCD sides, and with this positioning can be further stabilized with adhesive after assembly into the actual mobile device.

Some of the advantages of this arrangement are that all of the components can be surface mounted at one time on a single flex circuit, and the assembly can be handled by a standard doubled sided flexible circuit board assembly line. By using flex circuits thinner and more flexible devices can be achieved. In addition, flexible circuits yield higher solder joint reliability than does the existing rigid-flex process.

FIG. 3 shows a cut-away side view of OTP 10 with LCD controller 18 mounted below LCD 31. OTP controller 32 can also be mounted below LCD 31, if desired. OTP controller 32 is connected to LEDs 13 and photo diodes 14 by wires (not shown). Note that the distance ‘h’ from the bottom of the assembly to the top of LCD 3 is the thickness of LCD 31 plus approximately 0.3 mm, which is the thickness of the substrate. This dimension will vary depending on the application. In one embodiment the height of the device is 1.2 mm above the dimension ‘h’ leaving a gap between the top surface of LCD 31 and the bottom of the LCDs. Note that the dimensions shown are for illustration purposes only and any set of dimensions can be used. The dimensions shown are for a typical mobile phone and could be larger or smaller for other applications, such as PDAs, pagers, and the like.

FIG. 4 shows optical touch panel 10 within device 40. Device 40, in the embodiment, is a pager, but it could be any electronic device (such as a cell phone) having a display. Shown on touch panel 10 are icons 41 appearing on surface 31. These icons, if desired, could be touch sensitive buttons which are changed in the well-known manner, from time to time. Not shown within housing 40 are, if desired, grooves on the inside of sidewall 401 for positioning optical touch panel 10 therein. Device 40 is shown with antenna 45, hard buttons 44, writing screen (or keypad) 42, and buttons 43. As consumer devices become smaller the likelihood that optical touch panel 10 would perform both keypad and display functions is increased. If used as a keypad, an image of a keypad would be created on the screen.

FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of the prior art in which discrete risers 51 are mounted to substrate 54. In this embodiment LED 53 and photo diode 52 are mounted to the rigid risers and the optical signals follow path 501.

Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps. 

1. An integrated circuit assembly comprising: a substrate for mounting electronic components thereon, said substrate having defined thereon peripheral portions adapted for folding such that electronic components mounted on said defined portions will protrude above other components mounted on non-peripheral portions of said substrate when said defined portions are folded.
 2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein at least one of said components mounted on said non-peripheral portion of said substrate is an electronic display device.
 3. The circuit of claim 2 wherein at least some of said components mounted on said defined peripheral portions are optical devices.
 4. The circuit of claim 3 wherein at least one of said optical devices mounted on one peripheral portion is intended to interact optically with at least one of said optical devices mounted on an opposing peripheral portion over a top surface of said electronic display device.
 5. The circuit of claim 2 wherein said substrate has an outer edge, said integrated circuit being further adapted such that when said defined portions are folded substantially perpendicular to said non-peripheral portion said outer edge slides into a groove defined in a housing, said housing adapted for covering said components mounted on said defined portion.
 6. The method of constructing an electronic device, said method comprising: mounting electronic components peripherally on a flex circuit; mounting other electronic components centrally on said flex circuit; and folding along a fold line at least one peripheral edge of said flex circuit approximately 90° with respect to the non-folded portion of said flex circuit such that any peripherally mounted component which is mounted outward of said fold line is above the top surface of said centrally mounted components.
 7. The method of claim 6 further comprising: attaching a stiffener to said flex circuit inside said fold line.
 8. The method of claim 6 wherein one of said centrally mounted electronic components is an electronic display and wherein said stiffener is attached prior to mounting said display.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein said display forms an optical touch panel operating in conjunction with said peripherally mounted components.
 10. The method of claim 6 wherein said peripherally mounted components comprise: a plurality of light emitting devices along one peripheral surface; and a plurality of light detecting devices along an opposite peripheral surface.
 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising: after said folding of said opposing peripheral edges, aligning certain of said light emitting devices with certain of said light detecting devices.
 12. The method of claim 1 1 wherein one of said centrally mounted electronic components is a display, said aligned devices cooperating electronically with said display to form an optical touch panel for use in an electronic device.
 13. The method of claim 11 wherein at least a portion of said aligning comprises: inserting said electronic device into a housing.
 14. The method of claim 13 further comprising: affixing said electronic device within said housing so that said housing covers said peripherally mounted components.
 15. An electronic device containing an optical touch panel (OTP), said device comprising: a housing having an opening therein for framing said OTP; said OTP construction comprising: a substrate having mounted thereon at least the screen portion of said OTP; said screen portion having a top surface raised a distance “h” above said substrate; and said substrate having peripherally defined portions upon which are mounted light emitting devices and light detecting devices; said peripherally defined portions each having a width greater than said dimension “h” such that said light emitting devices and said light detecting devices are mounted outward of said dimension “h” on said peripheral portions; and wherein when said peripheral portions are folded said light emitting devices and said light detecting devices communicate light from said emitters to said detector above the surface of said screen.
 16. The device of claim 15 wherein said OTP construction further comprises: a stiffener mated to the non-peripherally defined portions of said flex circuit.
 17. The device of claim 15 further comprising: structure within said housing for mating with the folded edges of said substrate such that when said housing is mated with said OTP said light emitting devices and said light detecting devices are concealed by said housing.
 18. The device of claim 15 further comprising: means for aligning light from said light emitting devices so that said light impacts at least one light detecting device in the absence of an intervening object.
 19. The device of claim 18 further comprising: means for determining the position on said screen of an intervening object placed positioned in accordance with information displayed on said screen.
 20. The device of claim 19 wherein at least a portion of said determining means comprises: electronic circuitry mounted to said substrate.
 21. The device of claim 15 wherein said substrate is a flex circuit. 